Freezing Syrians seek shelter in olive groves as Assad bombings intensify in last rebel bastion

The Telegraph (UK) ^ | December 28th, 2019 | Josie Ensor, Hussein Akoush

[BeauBo]

235,000 people who have fled air strikes and shelling elsewhere in Idlib province in recent weeks. The exodus was triggered by ramped-up Syrian and Russian attacks on some of the most densely populated areas of the country’s last-remaining rebel bastion...

Earlier this month, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey’s president, told the EU to prepare for a “new wave” of Syrian refugees, saying his country “will not carry the migration burden alone.”

Civilians in Idlib say they feel abandoned by Turkey, which has been the opposition’s main backer during the uprising against the government.

Turkey has been strengthening its alliance with Russia, a key ally of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime, in recent months.

Western diplomats say they believe Ankara agreed something of a quid pro quo with Moscow - if the latter turns a blind eye to the former’s operation against Syrian Kurdish militias, it will not stand in its way over Idlib...

Assad has promised to retake “every inch” of Syria, but the rebels, who are largely aligned with Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) (al Queda's largest affiliate), have had years to dig in...

government forces have been “overcompensating” for the slow progress made so far in Idlib by using “devastating levels of air force.”...

Russia and China last week vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution that would have allowed aid to continue flowing to Idlib.

[BeauBo]

Al Queda's stronghold in Idlib, Syria is being ground down by Russian/Syrian air power and artillery - nobody cares (no countries).

This phase of the war will grind on for some time, reducing the housing and infrastructure, and producing more refugees - including the hardcore of the Sunni extremist jihadis, who have been concentrated into Idlib, as most of the rest of the country was cleared.

[butlerweave]

Shouldn’t have listened to Obama/Hillary/McCain

[NorseViking]

Limey propaganda intensifies....

[BobL]

I guess the terrorists can decide to hang it up, but why should they when their enablers are willing to put reports like this.

[BobL]

Here’s a good link detailing the reason that ANY REPORT of civilians suffering is likely flat-out LIES. Thankfully, most people here appear to understand the game now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDD0BBNC_mA

[BeauBo]

Syria Ping.

The Telegraph mentions a rumored deal between the Russians/Assad and Turkey, to trade Kurdish territory in the East (recently taken) for territory under Turkish/jihadi control in the Syrian Heartland (Idlib Province), between the second biggest city (Aleppo) and the Capital.

[NorseViking]

"" "" producing more refugees - including the hardcore of the Sunni extremist jihadis""" "

[DesertRhino]

Hope they roll in with the TU-95s and carpetbomb them. Only rebels are there. Hit the olive groves too!

[silverleaf]

The Russians and Syrians practiced a divide-and-conquer reconciliation strategy throughout liberated Syria, Those willing to join were integrated into local communities, those islamist extremists who refused to accept being part of a secular state ( or who were guilty of war crimes and atrocities against villagers they held captive) - were offered bus trips to Idlib with their families. So this is the last redoubt and the time of reckoning has come, These men dig in among their captives ( executing those who try to escape) and hide behind their women and children, Fair reporting would show that the Russians do try precision targeting of key islamist figures and weapon sites, Also the SAA. When it comes to liberating innocent villagers held captive.

But it is going to be bloody and innocents will die.
This is not our war except we prolong it by acting like al Qaeda militant islamists are redeemable. Have to break with Trump on this, Trust the Russians to clean out the vipers,

[sockmonkey]

Civilians Head chopping, Western backed, foreign vermin in Idlib say they feel abandoned by Turkey, which has been the opposition’s main backer during the uprising against the government.

[sockmonkey]

*** Have to break with Trump on this, Trust the Russians to clean out the vipers ***

I am so disgusted with Trump’s “Save Idlib” tweets and absolute idiocy regarding Syria. Is he really this uninformed, or is he being leveraged?

He needs to get in tune w/ reality on this.

[rrrod]

I think Trump knows more than the Russian propaganda machine

[Truthoverpower]

Snore

Just another day in ISLAMIC HELL.

[sockmonkey]

*** I think Trump knows more than the Russian propaganda machine ***

Sadly, I believe Trump believes the agenda driven propaganda he gets from some of his “trusted advisors”. Look how many people he has trusted, who have departed their positions in his administration, and stabbed him in the back.

It’s like a revolving door.

[mrsmith]

Nope, not “precision “ bombing.
Best one can say is that it’s not indiscriminate.

Their method worked well in the rest of Syria when combatants could be sent to Idlib.
The enemy gave up quickly to the bombardment and fewer civilians were killed.
Now, though, it will take more destruction to actually conquer the enemy.

As we found out in Raqqa, there’s just no humane way to war against the terrorists- no matter the cost paid.

Interesting that Turkey is sending some these fighters to Libya, where they oppose the Russian supported group there.
What a place the ME is...

[silverleaf]

Clearing out Qadaffi opened Libya up to islamist militants. Qadaffi kept a rein on the Brotherhood, interesting that some of the worst jihadis in the UK ( Manchester bombers) were from Libyan families that fled Qadaffi...because he wasnt an islamic hardliner, Same I expect with too many of the Syrian refugees..fleeing Assad because his govt is too secular. Thats where Europe gets its ISIS and al Qaeda “refugees,”

[Drew68]

Look how many people he has trusted, who have departed their positions in his administration, and stabbed him in the back.

Trump's greatest weakness will have been to surround himself with people who desperately did not want him to win the GOP nomination.

[mrsmith]

I think many of the Idlib refugees are professional terrorists working for Turkey, and are quite willing to earn their checks in Libya.

[silverleaf]

Back to where it all began
At a warehouse, in Benghazi...

[Texas Fossil]

Thanks

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